The present invention relates to aqueous detergent concentrates for rough, especially profiled stoneware tiles and flags, based on nonionic, anionic or amphoteric surfactants and, more particularly, to aqueous detergent concentrates comprising quaternary alkoxylated amine compounds as cleaning enhancers.
For reasons of esthetics and hygiene, work areas, hallways and staircases within both commercial and public buildings and shopping malls are increasingly being laid with natural and stoneware tiles and flags.
In order to avoid accidents due to tripping and slipping, these floor coverings are required to meet certain requirements in respect of their sureness underfoot; thus these floor coverings are required by statutory provisions (the guidelines of the German Workplaces Ordinance) to be level, slip resistant, and easy to clean.
The term stoneware is representative of hard-fired tiles and flags which may be glazed or unglazed, with or without a fired ceramic surface coating. In accordance with the DIN Standard, there is a subdivision according to water absorption and production method; DIN EN 176 defines stoneware tiles and fine-stoneware tiles.
For slipproof properties, however, it is the surface roughness which is critical. Consequently, the data sheets of the trade association (ZH 1/571) and of the municipal accident prevention authorities (GUV 26.17; 26.18) specify precisely defined nonslip classes (R classes) for the various areas of application, with higher R values standing for greater slip resistance.
The R values are determined in accordance with DIN 51 130 in tests on a sloping plane, and are reported in incline angle ranges, for example, R 9=3xc2x0-10xc2x0 incline angle; R 10=10xc2x0-19xc2x0 incline angle; R 11=19xc2x0-27xc2x0 incline angle; R 12=27xc2x0-35xc2x0 incline angle; and R 13= greater than 35xc2x0 incline angle.
For profiled flags and tiles, the displacement volume (V) is also reported in accordance with DIN 51 130. The displacement volume is the volume between the upper walking plane and the lower water removal plane. It lies between V 4(=4 cm3/dm2) and V 10(=10 cm3/dm2).
For areas with increased risk of slippage, i.e., areas in which floors and steps come into contact with friction-reducing and/or slip-promoting media such as water, wastes, starchy residues, animal and vegetable fats or oils, mineral fats or oils, soaps, pigment dirt, abraded rubber, and silicones, the appropriate evaluation groups are  greater than R 10, especially R 12 and R 13.
Tiles and flags are generally considered as easy to care for and pleasant to clean. This is undoubtedly true of level, smooth and hard substrates of R classes 9 to 11. As the R class goes up, however, the roughness of the surfaces increases. Those considered problematic are slightly rough substrates of class R 12 and, in particular, profiled tiles and flags of classes R 12 to R 13 and V 8 to 10, known as fine stoneware tiles/flags.
Cleaning effort is increased considerably as the roughness/uneveness of the substrate increases, especially if porosity results in additional increase in the size of the surface.
Numerous attempts have been made in the prior art to develop new cleaning methods and specialized mechanical cleaners that are tailorly made for a particular type of flooring and/or soiling. Additionally, various all-purpose cleaners have been reported in the prior art which minimize cleaning efforts and/or optimize the cleaning effect.
Commercially available detergents of the prior art for manual and machine cleaning are, generally complex mixtures of anionic, nonionic and amphoteric/zwitterionic surfactants which comprise customary auxiliaries and additives such as alkalis, complexing agents, solubilizers, chlorine bleaching lye additives, andxe2x80x94if desiredxe2x80x94mild abrasives. These commercially available prior art detergents are employed in concentrations ranging from about 0.5 to 10% by weight.
In practice, however, it is often impossible to remove soiling fully on fine stoneware substrates in the first pass. The same is true even when mechanical means such as microfiber pads, scrubbers, high pressure apparatuses, abrasive suction rollers or brush rollers, and additional intensive rinsing with water are used. Additional cleaning steps are therefor necessary.
Apart from the considerable additional expense on operatives and machinery, and the additional environmental burden of detergents, the abrasive action of mechanical exposure reduces more quickly the sureness of the floor covering underfoot.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to overcome these disadvantages of known, commercially available detergents and to provide improved detergents which, used at the same or reduced concentrations, ensure reliable cleaning of rough and profiled tiles and flags, known as fine stoneware.
The foregoing object is achieved by employing detergents which are based on surfactants and comprise quaternary alkoxylated amine compounds as cleaning enhancers.
The present invention accordingly provides aqueous detergent concentrates for rough, especially profiled tiles and flags, which are based on nonionic, anionic, amphoteric surfactants, with or without the use of customary auxiliaries and additives, said concentrates comprising quaternary alkoxylated amine compounds as cleaning enhancers.
The present invention further provides aqueous detergent concentrates which comprise, based on the overall mixture, with the exception of water, substantially from 0.1 to 10, in particular from 1 to 10, parts by weight of at least one anionic surfactant,
optionally from 0.0 to 20, in particular from 5 to 15, parts by weight of at least one nonionic surfactant,
optionally from 0.0 to 10, in particular from 1 to 6, parts by weight of at least one amphoteric/zwitterionic surfactant, and
optionally from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of customary auxiliaries and additives, wherein said concentrates comprise
from 0.1 to 5, in particular from 0.5 to 3, parts by weight of alkoxylated amine compounds of the general formula
[R1, R2, R3, R4N]+Xxe2x88x92
where
R1 is a straight-chain, optionally branched, alkyl radical, optionally containing multiple bonds and having from 8 to 22, in particular from 8 to 18, carbon atoms,
R2 is xe2x80x94(CH2CHR5O)nxe2x80x94R6 where R5 is H, xe2x80x94CH3, or xe2x80x94C2H5; R6 is H, xe2x80x94CH3, C2H5, xe2x80x94C3H7 or xe2x80x94C4H9 and n=1 to 25, in particular 2 to 15,
R3 is R1 or R2,
R4 is xe2x80x94CH3 or xe2x80x94C2H5 and
Xxe2x88x92 is an anionic radical, especially methyl sulfate, ethyl sulfate, phosphate, chloride, bromide, or iodide
as cleaning enhancers.
The present invention further provides for the use of the aqueous detergent concentrates as claimed in one or more of the claims to clean fine stoneware tiles.
Further subject matter of the present invention is indicated by the claims.